Grooming tool



Sept. 20, 1932. S TE 1,878,345

GROOMI NG TOOL Filed Aug. 5, 1929 INVENTOR.

e0,3% 27116 flSa fez" A TTORNEYS Patented Sept. 20, 1932 UNITED STATESPATENT oFF-icEP THEOIHILU'S A. SU'IER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK; ASSIG-NORTO AIR WAY ELECTRIC, APPLIANCE CORPORATION, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ACORPORATION OF DELAWARE GROOMING TOOL Application filed August 5, 1929.-Seria1No. 388,620.

The present invention, relating, as indi cated, to grooming tools, hasfor its pr mary object the provision of a device whereby the coats ofhorses and other animals can be rapidly and thoroughly cleaned; thisdevice embodying a tubular handle adapted for connection with a hose incommunication with a sub-atmospheric pressure system such as thatafforded by a vacuum cleaner and in- 1 cluding, in addition to a scraperor blade for removing or breaking up encrustation, a nozzle portionprovided with air inlets and combs, the latter being intended forloosening the dirt and laying the hair and the air admitted through suchopenings functioning to entrain such dirt and convey it through anexhaust opening or into a collecting receptacle.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention,then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the claims; the annexed drawing and the followingdescription setting forth in detail certain struc ture embodying theinvention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one ofvarious mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may beused.

In said annexed drawing Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of a grooming toolembodying the. present improvements; Fig. 2 is a sectional view showingfurther details and constructional features of the tool illustrated inFig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a view illustrating the manner of using myinvention in association witha standard vacuum cleaner of the portabletype. 7

That embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawing consists of atubular handle portion 10 which is, or may be, provided with an enlargedconnecting end 11 having a bead 12 and which, at its opposite end,terminates in a transverse mouthpiece or nozzle 13,

and of some such light and substantial mathese parts beingdesirablyformed integral ably so shaped 'asto offer a minimum of resistancetothefpassing currents of air and to obviate any likelihood ofcongestion or stoppage by the entrained dust, hair, etc., enteringthrough the slot or opening 16. As clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2,theslot 16 may be provided with agitators or' comb-like strips 17 whichare removably held in place by bolts or the like 18 and which have theirlower and projecting ends or lips 19 turnedinwardly and scored as at 20in order to form substantially triangular teeth 21, s0me of such teethhaving their apexes and others their bases adjacent the air inlet.Desirably, although not necessarily, the ends22 of the nozzle 13 areleft open to provide openings 23 through which air may passunobstructedly to entrain dust 'andhair loosened by the combs l7 and tosupplement the relatively smaller volume of air coursing through thescorings 20 for V rapidly conveying the removed material away cleanershown in the drawings has a hollow handle 27 through which the indicatedconnection may be eflected and a dust collecting bag or receptacle 28into which the discharged air and the dust are directed. When thecomplete apparatus has been thus arranged, the combs 27 may be placed incontact with the animals coat or other surface or material to be cleanedand aerated and then slid about systematically to remove all loose hair,litter and dirt, as well as to brush or lay the disheveled hair insomewhat the same manner as is ordinarily done by the two distinctoperations of currying and brushing. Any encrustations of mud or thelike can be preliminarily broken up by the scraper or blade 14 and thenentirely removed by ap'proprlatelymanipulating the suction nozzle. Aspreviously stated the supplementary air admitted through the endopenings 23 has a jet-like action which insures that all loosened dirtwill be expeditiously carried away even though the quantity of airentering the nozzle through the scorings and under the combs may be attimes insufiicient to entrain the larger particles and effect theirrapid removal;

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the structureherein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the followingclaims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and dis,- tinctly claim as myinvention 1. A vacuum grooming tool comprising a handle having a bore anozzle having a slotin communication with saidbore, scraper meansprojecting in spaced relation with the plane of such slot, and combmeans removably se- 7 cured at the marginsot the slot.

2. A vacuum grooming tool comprising a handle having a bore, a nozzlehaving a slot in communication with such bore, scraper comb meansprojecting in spaced relation with the plane of such slot, and combmeans associated with the slot and having inturned lips provided withexterior angularly disposed grooves. I

3. A vacuum grooming tool, comprising a handle having a bore, a nozzlehaving a slot in communication with such bore, scraper means projectingin spaced relation with the plane of such slot, and agitating combs atthe edgesoi the slot presenting convergent uninterrupted grooves ofuniform 7 Width throughout, said grooves being arranged to form betweenthem a plurality of triangular shaped projections.

Signed by me, this 29th day of July, 1929.

THEOPHILUS A." SUTER.

